CHEROKEE COUNTY, Kan. — As deadly drugs like fentanyl are found among other drugs, local sheriff's offices have installed new equipment to protect them from dangerous airborne particles. .
The new device costs about $30,000.
This funding was provided through the 2024 Commonwealth Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.
In December 2022, a viral video of a female Florida police officer showed what began as a routine traffic stop before discovering a bag of drugs inside a stopped car.
The officer reportedly opened the bag to inspect its contents, in which he inhaled fentanyl particles and began overdosing.
This is a dangerous drug that is also found in other drugs like methamphetamine, a drug that does not produce dangerous airborne particles if fentanyl is not present.
“This device shines a laser through the packaging onto a substance, analyzes its chemical composition in real time, and provides that information to police officers. This also serves the purpose of ensuring police safety. ''But it's also very helpful for preliminary hearing purposes as we proceed through the court process,'' said Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves.
Additionally, the device is very expensive and takes a long time to arrive, so the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office will soon train other area law enforcement agencies to use the device.
